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A Touch From God - Part 1
David Wilkerson

David Wilkerson (1931 - 2011). American Pentecostal pastor, evangelist, and author born in Hammond, Indiana. Raised in a family of preachers, he was baptized with the Holy Spirit at eight and began preaching at 14. Ordained in 1952 after studying at Central Bible College, he pastored small churches in Pennsylvania. In 1958, moved by a Life Magazine article about New York gang violence, he started a street ministry, founding Teen Challenge to help addicts and troubled youth. His book "The Cross and the Switchblade," co-authored in 1962, became a bestseller, chronicling his work with gang members like Nicky Cruz. In 1987, he founded Times Square Church in New York City, serving a diverse congregation until his death. Wilkerson wrote over 30 books, including "The Vision," and was known for bold prophecies and a focus on holiness. Married to Gwen since 1953, they had four children. He died in a car accident in Texas. His ministry emphasized compassion for the lost and reliance on God. Wilkerson’s work transformed countless lives globally. His legacy endures through Teen Challenge and Times Square Church.
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Sermon Summary
This sermon emphasizes the importance of seeking God wholeheartedly, especially in times of turmoil and fear. It highlights the need for individuals to hunger for more of God's presence and to be open to His touch, leading to transformation and revival. The speaker urges the audience not to miss any service and shares powerful testimonies of God's protection and provision. The message focuses on God's plan to touch and use individuals to bring about change and revival in chaotic times.
Sermon Transcription
I presume you wouldn't be here. We're speaking at this conference last night, and we've been broken for two or three weeks just falling before the face of the Lord. Who are we to tell anybody how to pursue Christ? None of us are one step ahead of you in your pursuit of Christ. And we wanted together, together here in this city, those of like heart who just hunger for more of Him, not a program, not something that has worked in us in the flesh, but just an absolute overwhelming hunger to seek Him more than we've ever sought Him before. This city, like the rest of the country, is in turmoil. There's fear on every side. New Yorkers fear the explosion of tunnels and bridges, buildings, and now everywhere you go, there's this fear, anxiety, and it's for the bold of you to step out and say, I'm not afraid, I'm coming to New York anyhow, we're delighted to have you here with us. Now, tomorrow is going to be a very intense day, and I would advise you, and I would encourage you not to miss a single service. I believe, I feel sure, you didn't come to state, see, I've been in this, we founded this church 15 years ago, Times Square Church, I've not been to the Statue of Liberty, I've not been on top of the Empire State Building, and I've not been to a theater. I'm not asking you to go the way we go, but I would hope that you come to all three of these services, and there'll be some time between afternoon and evening service for some of you who perhaps want to go to Ground Zero, it's quite an experience to see that massive hole. Times Square Church was one of the first groups down there, we were called by the mayor's office, and our church was down there with the Red Cross, the very, a few hours after it happened, the dust had settled, and of the many people from Times Square Church, that worked in those buildings, not one of our people was lost. God protected them, we're so sorry, we're so sorry for all of those who are lost and we pray for them, and our church had the pleasure of giving over a million dollars to both the police and the fire departments, and we thank God for the burden he's put on our hearts, and as Pastor Carter said, it is so true, we've come to wash our feet, and we've come to learn. There are no other programs, there are no other sessions anywhere, there's only one session altogether, and folks, I've talked already to a number of people that are here, some by mail, some by telephone, and some by person. I'm overwhelmed at what I've heard of the hurt, and the pain, so many wanting to quit the ministry. I just came the last week, I've been traveling more in ministry conferences in Moscow, our next last meeting, they came from all over Russia and Siberia, and of all those hundreds of pastors at the end, the last service, I said, how many of you had decided that you would come to this conference of mine, and you would quit the ministry, you would leave as soon as you got home? Over 250 pastors came forward, 250 who had planned to quit, but God healed them, and they went back with a new vision and a burden, and we trust and pray that that's what God will do for you. I want to speak to you tonight about the touch of God. How does God touch a man's life? I'm talking not about individuals, but a corporate body of men and women who rise above the turmoil, rise above their hurts, and they begin to hunger and thirst for God, and God does something miraculous, and why does God choose certain men to touch them? Now, when I say men, I include women in this, so please don't correct me after the service. This is both men and women. Heavenly Father, since your anointing on this meeting tonight, you have come to touch us. You've come to heal us, but Lord, you've come also to dig deep into our hearts. Lord, my heart is open to hear what will be taught and preached from this pulpit. When I step down, Lord, I want to hear, I'm ready for reproof, I'm ready for correction, I'm ready for edification, whatever you have in mind. Lord, I'm asking you to come down upon my heart now. You've humbled us before you, and who are we to speak, Lord, to those far more educated and those who have prayed more than we have, but they've come, Lord, out of a hunger. Lord, speak through me tonight. Lord, just speak your mind, I pray, in Jesus' name, amen. God has a remedy for a world in chaos. He has a time-tested plan that He's used all through time. He hasn't changed it, it's the same plan from the very beginning, the Word. How does God remedy a generation? What does He do to correct a generation that is in chaos, that is slipping out of control? What is God's plan? He's always used man. He's used men that He has chosen. He's laid His hand upon them, He's separated them. He called them to Himself and touched them in a special way. The God-touched man is described in Psalm 65, Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causes him to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts. Blessed is that man that is especially touched, that woman is especially touched by the hand of God, and the Holy Ghost causes him to draw nigh to the Lord and dwell in His courts. Well, this man, this woman, begins to dwell in the presence of God, and everything about him and everything in him changes. It's a wooing of the Holy Spirit that many of you that are here now know and understand. It was the wooing of the Holy Spirit that called you to prayer. History proves what I've been saying to you, because it's very painful to read the history of Israel, the constant backsliding of God's people, generation after generation getting more wicked than the other. But what did God do all through this Bible? How did God deal with it? How did He bring reviving? How did He change everything and bring it back to His heart? The Scripture says, Samuel chiding Israel, said, When you forgot the Lord, He sold you into the hand of your enemies. Then you cried unto the Lord and said, We have sinned. The Lord sent Drebbelbel and Bedan, Jephthah, Samuel, delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt safe. God touched men, became the instruments of deliverance. And folks, I'm going to tell you, God's not going to send angels down to solve our problems. He's not going to send heavenly angels or heavenly forces down. He's going to touch men. He's going to touch women. He's going to cause them. He's going to woo them to draw nigh to Him. God touched men, become His instrument, and have been that all through Scripture. Now, why does God touch certain men? There's something amazing that happens when God touches a man or a woman. It's an awesome sight. It's an awesome thing to be around these people. I am not there, but I know what He's calling me to, and I know the way, and I want to follow Him in it. You see, these are men, not just men of destiny. No, no, no. You see, Saul was called just as David was called. And the Scripture says that God had told Saul, I have planned to give you an everlasting heritage. An everlasting kingdom was to be yours. And he aborted God's plan because he went halfway. These were not supermen. I believe that there are two calls that God gives to every man or woman that He touches.
A Touch From God - Part 1
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David Wilkerson (1931 - 2011). American Pentecostal pastor, evangelist, and author born in Hammond, Indiana. Raised in a family of preachers, he was baptized with the Holy Spirit at eight and began preaching at 14. Ordained in 1952 after studying at Central Bible College, he pastored small churches in Pennsylvania. In 1958, moved by a Life Magazine article about New York gang violence, he started a street ministry, founding Teen Challenge to help addicts and troubled youth. His book "The Cross and the Switchblade," co-authored in 1962, became a bestseller, chronicling his work with gang members like Nicky Cruz. In 1987, he founded Times Square Church in New York City, serving a diverse congregation until his death. Wilkerson wrote over 30 books, including "The Vision," and was known for bold prophecies and a focus on holiness. Married to Gwen since 1953, they had four children. He died in a car accident in Texas. His ministry emphasized compassion for the lost and reliance on God. Wilkerson’s work transformed countless lives globally. His legacy endures through Teen Challenge and Times Square Church.